Friday, May 30, 2014

Starting All Over Again

How time flies!! I've been neglecting my blog for four years and it's time to get back into the blog-o-sphere. I find that Facebook is not sufficient for saying much of import. Not that I have much of import to say! But, at least here I can expand on my knitting projects!The Yarn Harlot admitted to having at least four unfinished projects. I have been going her one better by proclaiming all of my unfinished projects on Facebook, one at a time! I made a knitter's vow after Christmas that I will finish all of my incomplete projects before starting a new one!! Thus, far I have almost stuck to my promise. Here is where I stand.1. Sipsy'sFolly. Designed by Amy Detjen. Available on Craftsy. Excuse for not completing: 1. Charted the poetry for the inside hem five times, and knit the poetic hem three times. I'm not doing it again. I have to live with the fact that the letters are upside down. 2. The hip/waist shaping is too dramatic for me, a woman of a certain age. I have ripped back to the hem and am starting anew. Where it stands now: In time out, once again.

2. Lingerie Socks.I promised these socks to a friend for her birthday, back in August 2013. I finished them after taking my vow on February 14, 2014. I think the socks are beautiful, but they remained incomplete for a long time due to: 1) intervening Christmas knitting; 2) the need to carry a pattern with me at all times. Status: friend loves them.

3. Lengthen beanie made for Daughter #1 years ago. Status: Done!! Excuses for delay: 1) needed to find matching yarn in my yarn bins; 2) Ripped out two different extensions that were unsatisfactory. 3) acceptable to Daughter #1. Status: The Black and Blue corrugated ribbing was a successs! Ears warm.

4. Make Shawl for church auction, Exception #1. For this, I needed to violate my vow; I started this as a new project post-vow taking. I know, Knitter's Vows are not really worth much, but I felt this was for a good cause. At least I used yarn already in my stash. I whipped this up as quickly as possible and it sold for $60 at the fundraising auction!! Yarn used: Noro Taiyo sock yarn. Pattern: Simple Yet Effective Shawl, with applied lace edging.

5. Socks for purse knitting, Exception #2. Ok, I admit it. I made another exception to my vow. Purse knitting. Easy knitting for which no pattern is needed and that fits in my purse. Knitting I can do at a stop sign, while waiting in line at the grocery store, when I need to really pay attention to the friend with whom I am talking. I can't carry my incomplete projects with me at all times, so I need a bit of a project for my purse. Besides, I need to replenish my sock drawer. Status: happily living in my purse.

6.My Wonderful Mittens. I started these Winter Wonder Mittens before Christmas, using Fresco yarn., made of wool, alpaca and angora!!! The ultimate in soft warmth. Excuses for not completing: 1) Intervening Christmas knitting. 2) Finishing Lingerie socks, above. 3) not really NEEDED. 4) items for me tend to go to the bottom of the heap. Status: Knitting completed. Now I am looking for supple white leather to put on the palms so that I don't wear holes in them due to driving, etc. This is Wisconsin, people, mittens are not worn just for show!!

7. Heirloom Blanket.I don't recall when I started this blanket, but I fell in love with the motif, swatched it, and started knitting with Kauni yarn in long lengths of purple to blue to green. I am still deeply in love with the project. But, it has been marinating in the knitting bag for a LONG time. Excuses for not completing: 1) This is a 5.5ft by 4ft blanket people!! 2) I'm using size 3 needles!! 3) The Kauni yarn does not pull evenly and gets stuck on my fingers, for pity sake!! The knitting is a slog. Status: since taking my vow I have knit 12-14" and it is now about 4 ft long.

8--????. More incomplete projects. I actually have more incomplete projects, but I am too exhausted from having confessed my knitterly sins and from the daunting task ahead of me. I'm not sure when I can ever start a new project. Clearly, being bored and thinking that I can just whip out a small project without affecting progress on larger projects is misguided and has landed me in an ever deepening abyss of Unfinished Projects!